


Dareh Meyod

by antigone2071



Series: Damaged People [4]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-16 18:58:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5837212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigone2071/pseuds/antigone2071
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Can Daryl and Byrdie make it work.<br/>Takes place over the first half of season 6.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song of the same name by OAR. Lyrics in the end notes if you are unfamiliar with the song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a short one, guys. But it's pretty much just set up.

Everyone was gathered in Deanna's living room.  
Rick and Morgan had discovered a nearby quarry full of the undead while burying Pete. They had been trapped there by cargo trailers, the noise attracting any nearby to fall down the rocky slopes and become trapped as well. But the ground beneath a truck parked on a ledge was erroding. The blockade would fall soon and the entire heard would head straight for Alexandria.  
Rick had devised a plan to lure them away and was going over it with everyone. It would take most of the community to pull it off. 

Byrdie sat nestled in Daryl's arms on a bench by one of the windows. She knew what Rick was saying had to be done. Knew it was the best plan. But she didn't want Daryl to be the one to lead them away. It was too dangerous for one person, even if that person was Daryl.

Carter thought maybe they could just build up the quarry exits. It was a good idea, but it wouldn't work. Everyone knew it too. Rick was just the only one to voice it.

"It won't change the noise they're making. They'll still be attracting more walkers everyday." He said.  
"We do what Rick says." Deanna spoke up from her position across the room.

"We'll have Daryl lead 'em away." Rick said, starting to go over the plan again.  
"Me too." Sasha spoke up. "It can't just be him."  
Byrdie breathed an inner sigh of relief knowing he wouldn't be alone, but Sasha was risky and she knew it.  
"I'll go with her." Abraham said.  
"I don't . . ." Sasha started.  
"It's a long drive. Except the help." Byrdie said pointedly looking at Sasha.  
Sasha nodded in agreement as Daryl squeezed Byrdie's hand. He knew she wanted to help Sasha, but he also knew she was afraid for him on this trip.

Rick went over the new watch plan for Alexandria, letting everyone know who wouldn't be helping since they would be protecting the community. He then asked for volunteers to help lure the herd away.

"I'm in." Michonne said.  
"Me too." Said Glenn.  
When no one else spoke up Rick made it clear they needed more.  
"I'll help." Byrdie said.  
"No." Daryl said. "Want you here. Where I know yur safe."  
"Alright." She said, thinking it best not to argue with him on this.

Byrdie rested her head on Daryl's chest, silently begging her gods for his safety, as Rick got the volunteers he needed.

************************************************************

They had finished building the blocking walls needed for Rick's plan. Markers had been placed and everything was ready to go. The group which would be handling the drive was getting ready to head out on a dry run.

"Please be careful." Byrdie told Daryl.  
She was standing next to his bike, as he finished checking it over.  
"'Ts just a dry run, Byrd." He said, dismissing her concern.  
"Daryl." She said, not allowing him to do so.  
He stood up and put his arms around her.  
"I'll be careful." He said leaning down to give her a kiss.

She felt her gut twist with a sinking feeling as she watched him ride off with the group.


	2. Chapter 2

Byrdie was standing at the kitchen window watching Shelley Neidermeier smoke a cigarette in her front yard while Carol loaded a couple casseroles in the oven.

"On behalf of everyone I'd like to thank you for shutting up Shelley about the pasta earlier." Byrdie said as Carol set the timer.  
"Well someone needed to do it." Carol replied.

Byrdie huffed a laugh and smiled at the woman's confidence. Sometimes she wished she was as strong as Carol. Maybe then she wouldn't haven't have ended up with the asshole husband she used to have. She turned back around, looking out the window again as she lost herself in thoughts of her old life. Wondering what things would have been like if she had met Daryl when she was younger.

As she was staring out the window a strange man came running past. He slashed Shelley across the abdomen with a machete, then rammed it through her head as she lay convulsing on the grass. Byrdie shreaked and Carol came running over to the window to watch the horror unfold next to the younger girl.

"Come on." Carol said, grabbing Byrdie's hand and pulling her through the house.

Carl came downstairs, alerted by Byrdie's scream.  
"Stay here." Carol told him. "Protect Judith."  
He nodded and took off to get a rifle.  
Byrdie followed Carol out the back door.

The whole community had been taken over by these people. They were running through the streets killing anyone they came across. As Byrdie followed Carol around the house next door she saw a man stabbing one of the women repeatedly in the chest. She noticed a large W scarred into his forehead. Silently tapping Carol on the shoulder she showed the scar to the other woman. Carol looked at her questioningly and Byrdie responded with a mouthed 'maybe'.

Carol turned back around and continued around the garage, checking before turning the corner. She pulled her knife from her belt and indicated one of the strangers was there. Byrdie hung back a second as Carol crept forward and took the man out. Unfortunately not before he stabbed the neighbor in the stomach.

Byrdie came around the corner to see Carol cradling the woman on the back steps. As she quieted her, Carol slipped her knife into the woman's skull.

"We could have taken her to medic." Byrdie said. "The wound didn't look that bad."  
"She was screaming. She was a liability." Carol responded.  
"Our neighbors aren't liabilities. They're people. We try, Carol." Byrdie said pointedly.

She was trying to keep her voice down, but she was angry with Carol for just killing the woman. She must have been too loud though, because before Carol could counter one of them came running around from behind the garage. He slashed Byrdie across the left side of her abdomen with a large blade as he passed.

Byrdie fell to the grass, clutching at her gapping side as Carol went after the man. She did her best to breathe, her mind lost to surrealism as shock took over. She consciously knew this should hurt, but she could only feel the warmth of he the blood covering her hands.

Carol returned moments later with Aaron in tow and moved Byrdie's hands to assess the wound. It was bad.

"Can you stay quiet?" Carol asked.

Byrdie nodded through the delirium. She took note of the grim faces both Carol and Aaron were wearing. Her last thought being she would never see Daryl again as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Aaron reached under Byrdie, lifting her unconscious form as Carol took her sweater off and pressed it to the wound.

"Can you take her?" Carol asked Aaron.  
"What are you doing?" He responded.  
"Stopping this." She replied, and began undressing the dead body at her feet.

Aaron nodded as she started putting the clothing on, making herself look like one of them. He took off toward the medic house. Already crowded with people.

*********************************************************

The medic house was near chaos when Aaron arrived carrying an unconscious Byrdie. Denise was doing her best to direct traffic as several people sat around the room with relatively minor injuries. Tara, Rosita, and Eric doing everything they could to help the frazzled woman.

Denise came running over with a gurney for Aaron to lay her on.

"She's lost a lot of blood." Aaron said.  
"We need the operating table prepped." Tara directed at Rosita, who immediately began working on it.  
"How many people are out there?" Tara asked.  
"I don't know, a lot." Aaron replied.  
"What's with the horn?" Tara continued her questions.  
"I don't know." Aaron said again.  
He looked Eric in the eye saying he needed to help before walking back out the door.  
"Can one of you place an IV?" Denise asked.

Tara grabbed a bag of fluids and a catheter before going over to the bed and getting the IV running. Denise pressed several dry towels to the wound and told Eric to hold them there. She began assessing Byrdie, checking vitals and palpating her abdomen for the extent of the injury. It was bad, she would have to see inside to know for sure which organs were affected. If her intestines were cut, or gods forbid her abdominal artery, she wasn't sure she could save the girl. She wasn't sure she could save her regardless. She was a psychiatrist, not a surgeon.

"I have to go help." Rosita said as she finished prepping the surgery table. She paused slightly before following Aaron out the door to help stop the chaos.  
"I have to help too." Tara said.  
"No, you got dizzy hammering." Denise said pointedly. "Besides, I need you here."  
"You can handle this." Tara said.  
"I can't!" Denise shouted. "Not by myself. I need help." 

Tara gave a sigh, knowing Denise was right. She would need more help than Eric alone could provide, and Eugene wasn't going to be of any. She grabbed the IV pole and began helping wheel Byrdie through the front room to the one they had set up for operating.

Once in the operating room Denise slowly pulled the towels away and began assessing the full extent of Byrdie's injury. Her intestines were ok but she was bleeding severely.

"How bad is it?" Tara asked.  
"She may have cut her abdominal artery." Denise said.  
"Ok. Can that be fixed?" Tara asked.  
"By a surgeon." Denise replied.  
"Well, you were gonna be one." Tara said.  
"But I'm not." Denise said pointedly.  
"You're afraid." Tara said. "She was trying to help us. Isn't that why we're here? To help each other? You have to try. I don't care if you're afraid, help her."

They stood in silence for a moment. Tara staring at Denise. Denise staring at Byrdie. The slow, but regular beep of the ECG in the background.

"Ok." Denise said. "Get me several large hemostats and some suture. I need to stop the smaller vessels from bleeding so I can assess the organs and larger vessels."  
"Ok, good." Tara said.

Tara and Eric helped Denise prep to work on Byrdie. She was able to stop the bleeding. Her abdominal artery had been missed and the smaller surrounding ones would regrow with time. The only damaged internal organ was a small cut to her kidney. Denise was able to stitch it and was confident it would heal, the kidneys were pretty remarkable that way. But she was still unconscious. Had still lost a severe amount of blood. Really she needed a transfusion, but Denise had no way of giving her one. And even if she did, no way of making sure the donor blood would be compatible. On top of it, if she was able to survive the blood loss, things had been less than sterile given the circumstances. She would have to fight off infection as well. Denise whispered a small prayer, but the odds were against Byrdie.

The alarm on the monitoring equipment went off. Byrdie's heart rate was dropping and her breathing had slowed.

"No, no, no, no, no." Denise said.

She gave her an IV injection of epinephrine and started using the oxygen machine to breathe for her. Denise listened her chest and couldn't find a heartbeat. She quickly explained to Tara how to use the oxygen machine to give Byrdie breathes and as she did the ECG flatlined. Denise started chest compressions and begged Byrdie to come back to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Things had gone wrong.

It was just supposed to be a dry run. Get the Alexandrians comfortable with the plan. But the truck Rick was talking about back at Deanna's house. The one he was afraid would fall off its ledge any day. It fell. The horde of undead came pouring through the new opening and they were headed straight for the community. It couldn't be a dry run anymore. This had to happen now.

Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham quickly made there way up to were they had parked that red monstrosity called a car and his bike. It was their job to lead the herd away. 20 miles out, that's what everyone agreed on. They had to trust Rick and the others to get them in line and make sure everything went according to plan. And it was, things were going great. Until they weren't. 

Daryl was pacing alongside the car holding Sasha and Abraham. Revving his bike both to keep the herds attention and to keep it from stalling out at the slow speed. Then he heard it. An airhorn coming from the direction of Alexandria. His first thought was Byrdie. He didn't know what was going on. Didn't know if she was safe. His second thought was the horde following him. They had to hear it too. And they would head in its direction. 

He grabbed the walkie strapped to his jacket to try and get some information.

"Rick!" He called through it.  
"Yeah, I'm here." Came Rick's strictly reply.  
"Wha's goin' on?" Daryl asked.  
"We lost half. They're headed for Alexandria." Rick said. Panic lacing his words.  
"Where's your team?" Abraham said into his own walkie.  
"Out front of 'em. We're headed back." Rick replied.

Daryl started to panic a little. There was no way Alexandria could handle that many walkers. Most of the group there could barely handle one, if any at all. He worried for the safety of the community, Rick and the rest of his people. But mostly he worried for Byrdie. He knew she could handle her own against the undead. He had personally made sure of that. But with as many as there were now headed for the community gates, everyone would be in danger. He had to do something. He had to help. 

"I'm gonna come back." Daryl said into the walkie.  
"No, you keep going." Rick said.  
"They're gonna need help." Daryl insisted.  
"No. You have to lead 'em out, Daryl." Rick sternly replied.

There was silence on the other end. Daryl could only think about getting home, making sure his family was safe. Making sure she was safe. Rick knew it. 

"Daryl, if you turn around and lose the half you have then the very bad thing gets worse." Rick said.  
"Daryl!" Rick insisted.  
"I heard ya." Daryl replied before breaking radio contact with his brother and friend.

The airhorn went silent. But the damage was done. Daryl knew at least half the heard was headed for Alexandria. He knew it would be a disaster when they hit. Sure there were walls. But against that many walls may not help. Walls wouldn't help. They would need to quickly eliminate the undead which would soon surround the gates or risk those walls coming down. And Daryl couldn't let that happen. 

Daryl pulled his bike up to Abraham's window.

"Hey, we five miles out yet?" He asked.  
"Give or take. Why?" Abraham asked.  
"There's an intersection up ahead. I'm gonna turn around. Go back an' help." Daryl told the other man.  
"The plan was twenty miles." Sasha said.  
"Yeah, I'm changin' that. It'll have ta work." Daryl replied.  
"The magic number is twenty." Abraham said.  
"You wanna do this we can't stop you. But without you they can stop us." Sasha said, imploring him to stay. 

Daryl didn't know what to do. He knew they needed him in Alexandria. There were gods only know how many corpses headed that way. And once they got there the herd wouldn't let up until they got inside. He had seen them take down houses when the group was large enough. And if they got in there would be no stopping them. The entire community would be devoured.

But Abraham and Sasha were right. Everyone had agreed to take them out twenty miles. Get them far enough away they will never be a threat to Alexandria again. And granted half of that threat was already on its way to the community's gates, but the other half was behind the three of them and needed to go another fifteen miles to be far enough away. 

He drove past an advertisement for Alexandria. 'The start of sustainability' it said. The sign was right he thought to himself. It was the start. And Daryl wasn't about to let now be the end. 

"I got faith in ya." He said, revving his engine and pulling away. Sasha calling out to him as he went. 

Daryl turned back toward Alexandria at the next intersection. He was almost certain this was the right choice. Abraham and Sasha could handle the heard they were leading. The group of undead was being fairly passive. Just sort of meandering along behind the car. The two of them could lead them the rest of the way out. But Rick couldn't handle the disaster about to hit on his own.

He flew past the trees, ignoring the scenery in favor of making it back quickly. Daryl needed to help, but if he was honest he needed to make sure Byrdie was alright as well. Possibly more. He couldn't pin point what it was about the tiny ginger, but he loved her. He knew he did. And since she had returned his feelings the two had let things grow between them. Under any other circumstances he wouldn't have allowed it. But he felt Alexandria was safe. He needed to keep it safe. For her, for them.

As he was driving Rick's voice came over the walkie.

"There's gunfire comin' from home. We gotta let them handle it." Rick voice cracked through the static.

Daryl felt his blood boil. There was no way the heard had reached Alexandria yet. Rick had confirmed as much saying earlier he was out ahead, and was going to lead them back. Which meant the community was under attack. Suddenly all Daryl could think about was Byrdie. He had to make sure she was alright. Make sure she was safe. 

"We have to trust they can handle this. They have to. We have to keep pushing. We can't give up, turn back cause we're afraid." Rick continued. 

Daryl began questioning his decision. He knew the community wad under attack. They had to be. But there was absolutely no way they could handle an attack and the horde banging at the gates simultaneously. His head was telling him go back. Lead the walkers away. But his heart was saying save Byrdie. He didn't know which was the better choice.

"Leadin' them away, is for them. Turnin' back now, would be for us." Rick said.

Daryl stopped his bike in the middle of the road. He needed to figure out what was best. His heart was pounding in his chest. Screaming at him to go back. To save Byrdie, make sure she is safe. To hold her and love her. But his head was calmly saying it was the wrong choice. He needed to finish leading the horde out with Abraham and Sasha. He needed to get those things as far away from his home as he could. Create safety. 

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply and slowly. Calming his nerves so he could make a rational decision. Go back to Alexandria. Make sure Byrdie is alright. Help with the threat of both the undead and the attack. Potentially let the rest of the horde turn toward the community. Or go back to Abraham and Sasha. Lead the larger portion of the living dead away from the community permanently. Let Rick and the others handle the double threats, and trust his girl is alright. 

Daryl was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of gunfire coming through his walkie.

"Rick! Rick!" He shouted into it, but there was no reply.  
"Rick!" He shouted again, but still no reply.

Daryl hung his head over the handle bars of his bike. He was breaking and didn't know what to do. His mind already throwing him thought he lost his girl. Lost his home. Now it was telling him he lost his brother too. He wanted to go find Rick, then head home and get Byrdie. But he knew he couldn't. He knew there would be nothing he could do if she was already gone. The best thing to do was trust they were both still alive. 

Daryl turned his bike around and started it back up. He caught up with Abraham and Sasha again at an intersection a little farther out from where he left them. Wordlessly he turned onto the road and took the lead taking the rest of the horde the full twenty miles out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought Daryl was kind of a dick in this episode, so I tried to make him better.

Tara knocked lightly on the door before entering the medical house. Denise sat in the corner on the floor. Medical books spread out in front of her. The slow steady beep of the ECG in the background. 

"How are you?" Tara asked.  
"I don't think I can do this." Denise replied.  
"What do you mean?" Tara asked, sitting down next to her.  
"She's running a fever. I'm afraid her wound is infected. And she won't wake up." Denise said putting the book she was holding down and looking over to Tara.  
"You're doing everything you can." Tara reassured her.  
"But it's not good enough. Tara, if she doesn't wake up she'll die." Denise said.  
"She will though. You started her on antibiotics. Byrdie is tough. She'll wake up." Tara encouraged.  
"Ok. But I'm doing everything I can. The rest is up to her." Denise said.

Tara scooted closer and began rubbing the other woman's back. She knew Denise was afraid for her patient. But she knew Byrdie too, the girl would fight. Had been taught how by the best there is. 

************************************************************

They were speeding down highway 642. Well, speeding as much as the monstrosity Sasha was driving could. The three of them had successfully gotten the horde a full twenty miles out, but Daryl was still doubting his choice. He had been thinking about Byrdie the entire drive, making it in silence while Abraham and Sasha stole glances to see if he was ok. He wasn't. All he wanted to do now was get back to Alexandria as quickly as he could and make sure his girl was alright. 

They were weaving through the abandoned cars of a main street when gun shots rang out. A bullet just barely missing Daryl as he ducked at the sound. He sped off, catching a glimpse of two shooters between the buildings. As he went to turn off the highway though Daryl dropped his bike, sliding several feet before coming to a stop in front of an old jeep. He saw a blue sedan chase Abraham and Sasha off as he stood up. He quickly picked his bike up and took off again as two more vehicles gave chase.

He ducked between some dumpsters, running into a small group of the undead. But he was able to lose one of the vehicles when it crashed into one of the dumpsters. The other followed him down a side road. He let it follow him a short while before leaving the road and ducking into the woods. Daryl shut his bike off and watched as the green SUV drove past him.

He drove down a dirt path for a little while, still in the general direction of home, until exhaustion one out. Daryl began to slow on his bike, eventually dropping it again as he fell to his back panting. He was starting to doubt if he'd ever make back home. Ever see Byrdie again. He picked his head up slightly to look around. The woods were completely burned out.  
'Shit' he thought as he laid back down, closing his eyes for a moment. 

Once he felt his strength return he got back up. He was still too tired and the ground too soft and uneven to ride, so he pushed the bike along beside him. It was hard, and heavy. But he wouldn't abandon it. He knew he still needed it for when he got back to the road.

The bike pulled itself down a small slope, taking Daryl with it and he fell into a tree in his exhausted state. He took a break, picking up his walkie and calling for Sasha and Abraham, but there was no answer. He tripped over something and looked down. Staring into the eyes of a charred skeleton he watched blood drip from his fingers. For the first time he realized how badly he'd hurt himself. He pulled his blood soaked riding glove off and tossed it. Then gingerly pulled his atm free of his shredded jacket. 

Looking at the ruined leather his thoughts turned to home again. An image of Byrdie repairing the ripped sleeves. Stitching them back together with thread the color of the blood soaking his arm. He'd never understood why she picked the red. Black thread had been available. But she'd said something about highlighting the damage. About it bringing life to something he cared about. He wondered how she'd fix this, if she even could. Then his mind supplied the information he may never get to find out. With that he chucked it over his bike and began getting is pack to clean up his arm.

There was a noise from out in the woods and Daryl stopped what he was doing. He uncooked his bow from the back of his bike and coveted it with nearby branches. He raised his bow and cautiously stepped into the woods. Turning past a large tree two girls stood up.

"You caught us, ok." The dark haired one said. 

As he was trying to figure out what she was talking about a man crept up behind and hit him over the head, knocking him out. 

Daryl faded in and out through the night, catching a few words here and there from the trio who took him. When he finally came to it was daylight. His hands were bound and he was sat against a tree. When he looked up the man who had hit him was crouching in front of him pointing a gun at his head.

"Here's the deal. You shut up, and I don't kill you." The man said.  
"I ain't who ya think." Daryl said, calling the man's bluff.  
"Say somethin' else." The man replied.

He grabbed Daryl by the shirt and hoisted him on to his feet. Shoving Daryl out in front of the trio the man said. 

"You come with us."

Daryl was certain he would never see his girl again at this point. 

He followed the three through the woods. As they walked the man confessed to him he had lit the woods on fire. They talked about a bunch of things which didn't make sense to Daryl either. About him having a code. Them not wanting to kneel anymore. That they earned what they took. And about finding someone called Patty.

After a while the man pulled his gun on Daryl again. Asked him if he thought he was being stupid by not killing Daryl. Said Daryl was one of them and they couldn't trust him. Daryl had no idea what this man was talking about. He thought for sure he was going to get killed in these woods if he didn't get away from these three soon. 

They walked a bit farther before the man pushed Daryl into a clearing. A fenced in lot on the other side. The three if them walked up to the fence, staring at the undead beyond. The dark haired girl dropping the duffle they had stashed his bow in on the way. When the light haired girl fainted Daryl saw his chance, grabbing the duffle he ran. The man fired after him, but he was able to get away. He stopped running when he got to his bike and sat down to pull his hands free from the rope. Once the binding was gone he grabbed his walkie and called for Sasha and Abraham again. Still no reply. 

He grabbed his bow from the duffle and noticed a cooler as well. It was full of insulin and syringes. All Daryl wanted to do was find Abraham and Sasha. Get home to his family, his girl. But if Byrdie knew he didn't return the insulin she would never forgive him. They were obviously trying to get away from someone. And he was supposed to be trying. He grabbed the cooler and took off to find the trio. 

When he found the three they were sitting on a log talking. He raised his bow and approached. As he did the man raised his gun. 

"Drop the gun." Daryl said. 

When the man did as he said Daryl tossed him the duffle.

"'Ts all there." Daryl said as he did.  
"Good luck." He said turning back to the woods. 

As he did the sound of a truck rolling over branches approached. Daryl ducked behind a tree, and watched to see what was going on. Three men stepped from the truck and began asking about the insulin. There was a back and forth between the two groups about rules and paying for everything. Daryl looked around and noticed they were surrounded. He stepped out from the tree as the man picked up the duffle and ushered the trio off into the woods with him.

"We thought you were one of them." The man said once they were safe. "I knocked you out. Tied you up. Threatened to kill you. Why did you come back?"  
"I'm s'ppos' ta be tryin'" Daryl said, as though it explained everything.

As they walked the man told Daryl about the group they were staying with. About how it was ran, and why they needed to get away. Daryl started to think maybe he could bring these three back, but before he could ask the questions the light haired girl screamed. She had woken up some of the undead and been bitten. 

Daryl helped the man dig a grave for the girl and as they did he asked. He told him about Alexandria. The whole time hoping he wasn't lying. Hoping if these two said yes, he wouldn't be leading them to their deaths. Hoping he would see Byrdie again. The man said yes, but when they got to his bike he pulled his gun on Daryl. He demanded Daryl's bow and the two took off on his bike. 

"We're sorry." The girl said before they left.  
"Yur gon be." Daryl replied. 

He looked around after they left, noticing something hidden in the trees. It was a truck. Daryl took out the corpse in the driver seat and backed it out. He drove back toward the main street where yesterday started and found his name written on a door. He picked up Sasha and Abraham and the three headed back to Alexandria. He was starting to relax a little when he called through the walkie for Rick. A reply came through, but it wasn't who he expected. 

One word "Help" came through the static. 

Daryl hit the gas, urgency in getting to Alexandria coursing through his blood again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one, just needed to wrap things up before the walls fell.

Denise was looking through medical journals trying to figure out how to wake Byrdie up when Morgan let himself into the medical house. He set his kendo stick against a wall and walked over to the unconscious girl, watching her steady breaths.

"Is everything ok?" Denise asked.  
"Yes, everything is fine." Morgan replied. "Is she ok?"  
"She will be, if she wakes up." Denise answered.

He walked over to a set of chalkboards. They had various symptoms to watch for written over them, along with what to do for each one should it arise.

"Probably doesn't give you much confidence does it." Denise said.  
"I have confidence." He replied, his gaze not moving from the words he was reading.  
"Well I guess you don't have much choice do you." She said in dismissal.  
"Of course I do. And I choose to have confidence in you." Morgan said encouragingly. "How well are we stocked on antibiotics?" He asked before she could rebut.  
"Pretty well, why?" Denise answered.  
"I need to treat a wound." He answered. "But I don't want to waste medicine if we don't have it."  
"I could take a look at it." Denise offered.  
"I don't want to get you involved in things you don't need to be involved in." He said, fixing her with a stare.  
"I'm our only doctor. It's my job to get involved." Denise said.

Morgan just nodded in response. He helped her gather everything she may need and followed him out of the medical house. Morgan took her several buildings over and unlocked one of the doors leading to an empty basement. Denise began to wonder exactly what this new stranger was hiding.

Carol noticed the pair leaving the medical house from where she was sitting on her front porch. She didn't trust Morgan yet, and wanted to know what was so important he had to get Denise to leave her unconscious friend. She followed the two to a locked basement and let herself in, sneaking down to where she heard them talking.

************************************************************

The church had been groaning for weeks. It was falling apart and everyone in Alexandria knew it. They knew eventually it would fall and plans had been in effect to tear it down. But then everything went wrong. And now the community was surrounded twenty deep with the undead, which became the top priority. 

Suddenly there was a loud crack from it and Rick looked up from where he was reinforcing the walls. The steeple whined and began to lean. He ran toward it as though he could catch the thing and prevent what he knew was happening. But despite how people sometimes saw him. How he sometimes saw himself. He was human. He couldn't stop this. 

The steeple fell. And in doing so it collapsed two panels of the walls. As the large cloud of dust it created in its fall cleared, the movements of the living dead could be seen entering Alexandria.

************************************************************

Denise was stunned. Morgan had taken her to where he locked up one the men who attacked the community. He was injured. His wound most likely infected. And Morgan wanted her to help. She was afraid. Then Morgan left them alone.

When he returned he said the walls had fallen. The church had finally collapsed and taken out two panels with it. The community was flooded with the undead and there was no way out. Denise closed her eyes and tried not to panic. She could hear screams coming from the streets above and she feared for Byrdie, alone and unconscious. She had tried too hard to save her to just let her die like this. Just as she was beginning to think the worst the door opened again. Rosita, Eugene, and Tara letting themselves in. 

Moving faster than she would have given him credit, her latest patient drew his knife and put it to her throat when Tara and Rosita leveled their guns at him. 

"Give me your guns, I want them." He said calmly.

Both girls relinquished their weapons hoping to save their friend. He reached down, taking Denise with him and exchanged his knife for one of the guns pointing it at the trio as he rose. 

"You don't need her." Tara said as he did.  
"You're right, I don't." He said, inching forward using Denise as a shield. 

When he got to the door he shoved Denise at Tara and slipped out. Denise stood and looked at the two women, then back to Morgan. 

"You need to help me. Byrdie is alone. She's still not awake. I need to make sure she's ok." She said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll need to watch the full back half of the season before I can continue this. 
> 
> Please let me know if you want me to.

**Author's Note:**

> I chose this song because Marc wrote it about always leaving a day early.
> 
>  
> 
> Tuesday's coming my baby  
> I told you Wednesday morning  
> It's not too late for us  
> My bags aren't out the door baby  
> don't you know life's a feeling  
> But without you it's nothing  
> It's not too late for us  
> My bags aren't out the door baby  
> Tuesday's coming and  
> I'm not gonna leave you here darling
> 
> It's a shame you can't hear me  
> Scream my lungs out believe me  
> The miles burn me up  
> I'm living just to watch your fire darling  
> I'm headed out for the road now  
> The engines hold me while sleeping  
> A road might take me away  
> But its sure enough to bring me home baby  
> Tuesday's coming  
> And I'm not gonna leave you here darling
> 
> Tuesday's coming.


End file.
